The former West Virginia star was taken with the seventh pick in the second round, 39th overall, on Friday night and could be the future — or maybe even present — replacement for Mark Sanchez.

"Once I received the call," Smith said, "I was extremely elated."

Smith went from looking embarrassed and frustrated Thursday night on national TV during the first round, sitting back stage at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan as pick after pick came and went, and he remained seated and wondered where he'd end up — and when.

He originally planned to head back home Friday, but opted to stay for the second day of the draft.

"Right now, none of that matters," Smith said during a conference call. "My time has come now."

It's the second straight year the Jets have made major news at the quarterback position, and none of it has been good for Sanchez, although he agreed to a contract extension last offseason. But 12 days later, the Jets stunned the rest of the league — and Sanchez — by trading for Tim Tebow.

The selection of Smith by new general manager John Idzik seriously clouds the future of Sanchez, the team's first-rounder in 2009 who led the Jets to consecutive AFC championship game appearances but has struggled mightily the past two seasons. Smith could compete for the starting job this season with Sanchez, who is owed $8.25 million in guaranteed money this season.

"I'm coming in with intentions to compete," Smith said. "We'll see where it goes from there."

But Rex Ryan's Jets currently have Sanchez, Tebow, David Garrard, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms — and now Smith — as quarterbacks on their roster. Tebow was expected to be traded or released, but in a surprising twist could now potentially stay.

It remains to be seen whether Sanchez will remain on the roster by the beginning of the regular season, despite his hefty contract.

The one-time franchise quarterback counts $12.85 million against New York's salary cap this year. If the Jets do decide to cut him as a June 1 designation — and that could be done at any point between now and then — they would take a salary cap hit of $12.35 million this year and $4.8 million next year.

Smith's wait didn't take long Friday night even though a few teams that were expected to be in the mix for him — Jacksonville, Philadelphia and Arizona — went in other directions.

Former wide receiver Wayne Chrebet took the podium at Radio City to announce the pick, and Jets fans gathered there were loud, with many cheering and others booing. Smith, considered by many to be the top quarterback available in this year's draft, wasn't even the first player at his position taken. That was Florida State's EJ Manuel, who went to Buffalo with the 16th overall pick on Thursday night.

In the third round, the Jets took offensive guard Brian Winters from Kent State.